If you are reading this you are blessed to enter another New Year- 2024. Wow! For those of us who thought entering the Millenium year, 2000, was a major blessing we are now amazed that it is almost a quarter of a century after that. Thanks be to God for time marching on, and us with it. And thanks be to God for the events of the past year that have brought us here, and for the hope of a new year.

Harry Gary, friend and member of our Good Shepherd Ministry wrote me this morning with wishes and prayers for the new year emphasizing “It is NEW!” Yes, there is something about new chances for life that are God’s most wonderful gift! Having just celebrated his 72nd birthday Mr. Gary was thankful for all that brought him to that moment, including his connection to our Ministry-from the beginning in 2007 when he did not have his own home. His last eight years have had wonderful stability in affordable housing and several medical challenges. He is particularly thankful for his home and for coming through each of those challenges and for the strength and faith to deal with the changes in vision that are a current issue. Mr. Gary is such a man of faith and hope that it is always uplifting to walk and talk with him. In the picture below taken when we still had our house church site, Mr. Gary is standing with a black shirt and cross on. The young man next to him is Quay Crews, who is now his neighbor in the Ohio Place Housing Complex. Mr. Gary is a church father in his life and both enjoy being neighbors.

As I look at the picture above, I am also saddened to report that we lost three of our dear members to heaven within the last few years. I know that they are enjoying glory with Jesus after difficult lives here. But our church members miss them still. Grandma Jolinda Harmon who brought countless new members to the church is with Jesus now. Lauretta Rasmussen, like Gary was one of our oldest and most faithful members. She, and Joe Baker, striped shirt behind her, both loved their housing and their relationships in the community and with family, and both succumbed to cancer. In this picture we were celebrating the life of Pastor Judy Beaumont. When Lauretta was passing she held my hand and said that she was happy to be joining Pastor Judy Beaumont who helped her find the path to eternal life. I can just see Judy welcoming Lauretta and Joe and our other deceased members and friends to the heavenly kindom where they are with Love forever. Judy was close with my beloved lifelong friend Jean Cornella Bauer who passed suddenly two years ago and I am sure they are together again now. And my childhood friend Jean Tracy Foreman was welcomed home by Judy too. I miss them so much but my heart is still full with their love. Below are Jean Cornella Bauer and Judy and me.

We are happy for the young girls in the first picture, Quay’s cousins, who are teenagers now. And for all of our young people like Quay’s siblings who are wishing us Happy New Year this year. It is a good feeling to know that faith continues through the generations. Below are Maya Rismay Cummings and her daughter Kimora. I am blessed as they live here in Fort Myers and faithfully visit and keep in touch. Judy Beaumont and I helped mentor Maya and Felice and to help raise their older siblings, Perdita, Marley and Channel while living in Connecticut. Maya’s sister Felice and her son Daniel (Bubs) visit too but they live in Connecticut. Marley, Maya’s older brother, and wife Jen and his three children also live in Connecticut and visit here. It is such fun to enjoy the younger generations.

Below are Maya and Kimora who visited yesterday, 12/31/2023. Kimora especially loved visiting with our cat Finn.

Below are Felice and Bubs, and Marley and his daughter MyaLee. He also has two sons, Marley Jr. and Matthew Jude.

We are also so blessed to be able to continue our ministry here in Fort Myers. In the pictures below, taken in early December we see Brenda and her roommate Terri and one of her dogs. Brenda has been with our Good Shepherd Ministry like Mr. Gary since the beginning in 2007. Here she is in her own home with Terri and four pets and our member Carol Schauf and I are visiting them for Christmas. Carol is a wonderful mentor for Brenda.

We are thankful that our Good Shepherd relationships are active now.

We are also so thankful for the friends and family who remain loving in our lives. Below are Danielle and Laura whom we visited in New York. Laura, in the pink shirt, is now in a wonderful Orthodox Jewish Residential setting where she finally feels at home and can practice her faith. We are so happy for her and for the love and care that Danielle is able to give her. Indeed we are family more than friends.

And we are so thankful for family that continues to love and support us. At my age there is more family in heaven than here, but Jackie and Mike and Cousin Bob and family are still there to hold onto me here.

Above are Jackie and Mike with me.  And below are Cousin Bob and his family and our cousin Lillian Dougherty Ebner as well.

And so we end this year and begin our new year 2024 thankful for love, for friends and family human and pet as well, and ministry, We are mindful of those, human and pet, that have gone home to God and so thankful for their lives. And we are so grateful for God’s glorious creation that renews us each day. And we especially thank God for those who remain with us for 2024.

THANK YOU, LOVING GOD, FOR ALL THE GIFTS OF 2023 AND THE HOPES FOR 2024. THANKYOU FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST HERE AND FOR THOSE WHO REMAIN WITH US. THANK YOU FOR LIFE IN ALL OF ITS SHAPES, FORMS AND ESSENCES. THANK YOU FOR LOVE THAT IS FOREVER. THANK YOU FOR YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW IN YOUR LOVE.

BLESSINGS TO ALL AS WE WELCOME IN 2024, AND ALL THAT IS NEW AND GOOD TO COME.

LOVE AND BLESSINGS,

Pastor Judy Lee, RCWP

Good Shepherd Ministries of Southwest Florida

January 1, 2024